Ville Pokka | Defenseman | #47

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Chicago has made the signing of Ville Pokka official.

As previously reported, it is a one-year contract. Pokka has led Rockford's defensemen in points in each of the last two seasons. He generated six goals and 30 points in 76 games last year after he had 45 points in 76 matches in 2015-16. Jun 27 - 6:15 PM

The Chicago Blackhawks have assigned Ville Pokka back to AHL Rockford.

Pokka was recalled to fill in during the pre-season finale, and will begin the regular season down on the farm. The Blackhawks don't like to waste time letting players marinade in the minors, so if he gets off to a hot start expect him to return real fast. Sun, Oct 9, 2016 02:14:00 PM

With Niklas Hjalmarsson suspended, and Duncan Keith and possibly Brian Campbell getting the game off, it's just another opportunity for Pokka to prove his mettle to the team. He won't start the regular season in Chicago, but we all may see him later on. Sat, Oct 8, 2016 01:23:00 PM

Depth Charts

Toews missed Thursday's preseason game because of an illness, but he was good to go tonight. The 'Hawks captain is a good all-around player, but he tends to be overvalued in most fantasy leagues. The 29-year-old had 21 goals and 58 points in 72 games with the Blackhawks last season.

Artem Anisimov may start the regular season as Chicago's third-line center.

It looks like Nick Schmaltz will take over the second-line role, but if that happens then Anisimov won't mind. "I expect a lot to happen [in camp], and my mind-set was to be ready for -anything," he said. Anisimov could also see a larger role on the penalty kill if he drops to the third unit.

Keep an eye on Nick Schmaltz this pre-season as he has a chance to play on the Blackhawks' second line alongside Patrick Kane.

Schmaltz had some chemistry with Kane last season and it could translate into a second-unit gig this season if he shows well during training camp. If that should happen, Schmaltz is a nice late-round sleeper option.

Tanner Kero started as a temporary replacement for injured forward Marcus Kruger, but he will likely start next season as his full-time replacement.

The Blackhawks are once again in a tight bind with regards to the salary cap, and Marcus Kruger appears to be the next victim of what has turned into a yearly salary dump tradition for Chicago. When Kruger is moved, Chris Hine of the Chicago Tribune expect Tanner Kero to take over for him. Kero can do most of the things Kruger can, he just needs to produce more offensively seeing as he had only six goals and ten assists in 47 games. We wouldn't recommend selecting him in even the deepest of fantasy formats next season.

Brandon Saad scored a goal in Chicago's 4-2 loss to the Boston Bruins on Monday night.

Saad has been solid for the Blackhawks this preseason, as he scored a hat trick during an exhibition game against the Red Wings last week. Saad is back with the Hawks after they acquired him from the Columbus Blue Jackets. The 24-year-old had 24 goals and 53 points in 82 games with Columbus last season. Don't be surprised if he surpasses those totals now that he's back in Chicago.

If Alex DeBrincat and Nick Schmaltz nail down second-line jobs alongside Patrick Kane, Patrick Sharp will team with Artem Anisimov on what could be a very good third line.

The Hawks' first unit will likely feature Jonathan Toews, Brandon Saad and Richard Panik. If DeBrincat, Schmaltz and Kane are the team's second line, then Sharp and Anisimov will team up with another winger to form the club's third unit. Of course this is not an ideal situation for Sharp, but Anisimov is a good player and Sharp should get power-play ice time making him draft worthy.

Vince Hinostroza, John Hayden, Tomas Jurco and Jordin Tootoo are each expected to be scratched against Nashville for Game 4 on Thursday.

Unfortunately, there hasn't been much production from this group in the series thus far. Tootoo has averaged 6:13 of ice time, with two shots on net in two games. Both Hinostroza and Hayden have played just once and less than seven minutes each.

Bouma registered only seven points in 61 games with the Flames and his contract was just recently bought out. He will be looking to win a job on the Hawks' third-defenseman pairing. Needless to say, his fantasy value is not very high.

John Hayden is competing for a fourth-line roster spot on the Blackhawks.

Hayden and Vince Hinostroza don't have to clear waivers to be sent down, but they have had strong training camps. Tomas Jurco, Jordin Tootoo, Tommy Wingels and Lance Bouma are also in the running. "We talk about it, but we don't want to make decisions based on how much money you make or where you're from or how old you are," coach Joel Quenneville said. "Your performance is going to dictate that. But there is that asterisk there, where business decisions could be in the mix."

"I think for us, yeah we might be getting a little bit older, but I don't think we're slowing down," Kane said. "We have some young guys that will be even better than they were last year. Hartman had a great year but I think he can be better. I think Schmaltz will be even better. He's a guy to watch coming into the season. He's got all the talent in the world and can do some special things." Ryan Hartman and Nick Schmaltz were rookies last season and recorded 31 points and 28 points respectively. The Blackhawks have once again found themselves in a difficult cap situation that will likely result in them moving veterans, so they'll need young players like Hartman and Schmaltz to step up to help fill the void.

Richard Panik made it sound like there wasn't much of a negotiating process before he inked his two-year, $5.6 million extension with Chicago on Thursday.

"I was waiting for the first offer to come in, and the first offer they gave me surprised me," Panik said. "There wasn't much thinking involved. I was really happy to get the first offer [because] it was a good one." It's good that Panik was happy with Chicago's offer because, if anything, he might have been able to hold out for more if he really wanted to. He's coming off a strong season where he recorded 22 goals and 44 points in 82 games. He'll be eligible to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of this deal, so if he has another couple solid seasons during this contract then his next signing should be fairly lucrative.

Ryan Hartman is using last year's playoff disappointment as motivation going into 2017-18.

"No one was happy with it," Hartman said. "We come in [to the new season] with a little anger and a little motivation to know that we've got a lot to prove. We want to come into the first half of the season and make everyone forget about that." Hartman had 19 markers and 31 points in 76 games with the Blackhawks during his first full campaign. The feisty winger hopes to contribute more this year.

Jurco was obtained from the Red Wings for a third-round pick in February. He posted just one goal in 13 appearances with the Blackhawks after the move, but the organization feels he can still turn it around.

DeBrincat gave up a turnover that led to a goal and was charged with a slashing penalty. In the end he had a minus-two rating in 16:16 minutes of playing time in Chicago's 3-2 loss to Columbus. On the plus side he also fired five shots on goal. "We all make mistakes," Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville said. "You gotta be safe in certain areas and you learn from that." DeBrincat is just 19-years-old and while he was a huge offensive force in the OHL, it's going to take some work for him to reach that next level.

Tommy Wingels jumped at the chance to join the Chicago Blackhawks and he is looking forward to contributing in a leadership capacity in 2017-18.

Wingels feels he can help the players coming up to fill spots on the third and fourth lines because it can be tougher for them to relate to the star players on the team. He is excited to be playing closer to home and he will bring some "sandpaper" to the lineup, while helping out on the penalty kill.

Chicago is expected to put Marian Hossa on long-term injured reserve after the regular season begins to get the most cap flexibility they can.

Hossa has a $5.275 million cap hit for the next four seasons. He isn't expected to play at all in 2017-18 because of side effects from the medication to treat a progressive skin disorder. The Blackhawks could use the cap relief on roster help down the road like a defenseman or a rental at the trade deadline. If Hossa is forced to retire then a more long-term trade option may be considered by GM Stan Bowman.

After being shut out in Game 1, the Blackhawks know they have to find a way to make life more difficult for Preds goalie Pekka Rinne.

"That's no secret in playoff hockey, that it's always going to be those greasy goals that aren't always pretty plays," defenseman Duncan Keith said. "It comes down to having a little more determination and, like (Quenneville) said, that desperation — pick it up a bit. Maybe that'll be the difference." The Blackhawks will look to even up the best-of-seven series at home on Saturday night.

The Chicago Blackhawks have not talked to any teams about Brent Seabrook, according to TSN's Pierre LeBrun.

LeBrun added that the Blackhawks value Seabrook's leadership too much to consider trading him. Seabrook's name surfaced as a possible trade candidate over the weekend, but it doesn't sound like he is going anywhere. He is signed for seven more years.

The Chicago Blackhawks have acquired Connor Murphy and Laurent Dauphin from the Arizona Coyotes in exchange for Niklas Hjalmarsson.

Murphy scored two goals and registered 15 assists in 77 contests while averaging 19:11 minutes in 2016-17. He'll help fill the void left by Hjalmarsson and, critically for Chicago, he's providing the Blackhawks with some long-term cost certainty. He's entering just the second season of his six-year, $23.1 million deal.

Gustav Forsling feels ready to be a regular on Chicago's defense corps this campaign.

"Everybody has to take another step," Forsling said. "We have a lot of good 'D's here, so it's not going to be a problem." It's also a good sign that oach Joel Quenneville has praised Forsling's work at camp. He has skated with a few different defense partners, so it's unclear who he will be paired with on opening night. It could be Connor Murphy, who he played with on Monday night in Boston.

Michal Rozsival didn't pass his physical, so he can't take part in training camp.

Rozsival missed the last game of the regular season and all four of Chicago's playoff games because of facial fractures. It's unclear if those issues are lingering, but consider him day-to-day for the time being.

The Chicago Blackhawks have announced that Michal Kempny has signed a one-year contract extension with the club.

After crossing the pond from the KHL, Kempny picked up two goals and eight points in 50 games this season. He showed some potential and finished the season as one of the Blackhawks with the best possession numbers. "Michal’s style of play is an asset to our defense," general manager Stan Bowman said in a statement. "He is the type of player who will continue to improve now that he has transitioned to the National Hockey League. We look forward to his continued development on the ice for the Blackhawks." Kempny does not warrant any fantasy consideration next season.

Erik Gustafsson has inked a one-year contract extension with the Chicago Blackhawks.

Gustafsson had 14 assists and a plus-11 rating in 41 games as a rookie with Chicago in 2015-16. He didn't play at all in the NHL last season though, instead scoring five goals and 30 points in 68 AHL contests.

Jan Rutta has agreed to a one-year contract with the Chicago Blackhawks.

Rutta generated eight goals and 24 assists in 46 games for Pirati Chomutov of the Czech Extraliga in 2016-17. The right-handed defender, who will turn 27 in July, has a chance to claim a roster spot with Chicago next year. Brian Campbell and Johnny Oduya can become unrestricted free agents, while Trevor van Riemsdyk may be lost in the expansion draft or traded.

Corey Crawford was not listed among the top-10 goaltenders by the NHL Network.

Crawford was listed as a netminder who just missed the cut and was placed at No. 13 even though he had better numbers than some of the goalies ranked in the top-10. Jonathan Quick (No. 6) appeared in only 17 games last season because of a groin injury and he posted eight wins along with a .917 save percentage. Henrik Lundqvist (No. 8) finished with a .910 save percentage and a 2.74 goals-against average, while Martin Jones (No. 9) earned a .912 save percentage. Crawford registered a 32-18-4 record with a 2.55 GAA and a .918 save percentage in 2016-17. For what it's worth, Crawford shouldn't be considered as a top-10 fantasy option in the crease going into the 2017-18 campaign.

Anton Forsberg made a great first impression in his quest to earn Chicago's backup goalie job.

He played the full game in Tuesday's 5-2 win over Columbus and he stopped 38 of the 40 shots he faced. "It's always a competition [for] spots," Forsberg said. "It doesn't really matter to me. I can't do anything other than play my game and focus on my game. I'm trying to get better every night. Everybody else in there is trying to do the same thing." He will have to outperform Jean-Francois Berube to keep the position.

The plan is for J-F Berube to start and play the whole game when the Blackhawks face the Blue Jackets tonight.

Berube was signed by the Chicago Blackhawks during the off-season and is currently battling with Anton Forsberg for backup goaltending duties. Berube played in 14 games for the Islanders last season, posting a 3-2-2 record with a 3.42 goals against average and a .889 save percentage.